Referencesteaching Games For Understanding



It refers to the importance of kindness, gentleness and a strong character that is slow to anger. Teach your child to be kind and gentle with art, craft and other activities that reinforces the value of meekness. Cornucopia of Kindness. Create a cornucopia of kindness and hang it on your child's bedroom wall as a constant reminder of the gentle. Teaching Games for Understanding is an approach to physical education developed by Peter Werner, David Bunker, and Rod Thorpe, and was adopted in the year 2002 by a group of representatives, associations and individuals from all around the world. It is a global agenda for scholarly inquiry in the field of teaching with the help of games. Teaching Games for Understanding(TGfU) in Primary and Secondary Physical Education. Paper presented at ICHPERSD International Conference for Health, Physical Education Recreation, Sport and Dance, 1st Oceanic Congress Wellington, New Zealand.

Teaching games for understanding (TGfU) is a dynamic approach to sport education that has gained worldwide popularity over the past 25 years. Now, through Teaching Games for Understanding: Theory, Research, and Practice, readers can discover the latest refinements and up-to-date research from the world's highest-regarded experts on the topic. Activities for up to 10-15 minutes at a time. 14 Exploring the Topic Day 1 Large Group p. 15 Exploring the Topic Day 1 Large-Group Roundup p. 15 Exploring the Topic Day 1 Choice Time p. 15 Exploring the Topic Day 1 Read-Aloud p. 16 Exploring the Topic Day 2 Choice Time p. 16 Exploring the Topic Day 2 Large Group.

This material was originally created for Starting Point: Teaching Economics
and is replicated here as part of the SERC Pedagogic Service.

Summary

Hobson's choice is a game about homelessness and how difficult it is to get off the streets and leave the situation of homelessness. The game is text based and gives students opportunities to make choices that an average homeless person would have to make. There are several outcomes and possibilities that are possible. It allows students to see their current situation, gives them realistic choices to try to solve the situation, and then tracks all their decisions in the game.

Learning Goals

After completing this simulation the learner should be able to:
  • Define what is meant by the term Hobson's Choice.
  • Explain some of the challenges faced by people facing homelessness.
  • Compare and contrast individual and structural causes of homelessness.

Referencesteaching Games For Understanding

Context for Use

This simulation works well in a class situation where there has been some type of introduction to poverty and/or homelessness. It is a great teaching tool for helping student move beyond 'Blaming the Victim'. It does require internet access and works well if done in groups where students make decisions together and discuss the outcomes in a classroom/lab setting. It is a more powerful teaching tool when students work together in teams to select. It can also be assigned as a take home assignment if the student has access to a computer and the internet. Finally, a faculty member could also use it in a large class and make the game available on a computer screen. Students can still participate in the game as a group and discussions on homelessness can be aided by the activity. There are no special skills required to complete this activty. It is recommended that students play the game at least three times to experience the various ways that choices impact the chances of leaving homelessness. Instructor should have a recording sheet where students can record their final outcomes and an opportunity for written reflection prior to clas discussion. As long as there is a computer with internet access, this activity can be adapted for any type of college classroom including distance learning courses. This is a great activity for an introductory level course.

Description and Teaching Materials

In working with this in a classroom setting the link to the game and a link to major resources on homelessness are helpful to students. The instructor may want to develop a reflection activity where students can write their reflections on the experience and discuss to what level the game is realistic. The game could also be used to have a discussion on how simulations in sociology are difficult because depicting real world situations with numerous possibilities and variables is difficult to siumulate.
See link to simulation in resources below.

Teaching Notes and Tips

This assignment can be used in various ways and is easily adapted to all class sizes. It can also be assigned as an out of class activity. The best use of this activity is class based with partners or groups doing the simulation together. There needs to be an opportunity to discuss and reflect on the materials at the end of the simulation. Students often find the game frustrating and will often skip to the suicide option. You may want to develop rules that prevent them from taking this option until after so many attempts to exit homelessness.
Referencesteaching games for understanding kids

Assessment

This activity specifically addresses students understanding of blaming the victim and the difference between individual causes versus structural causes of homelessness. One form of assessment would be a pre-assessment where the instructor asks the students to list some of the causes for homelessness. At the conclusion of the simulation and reflection, a post-assessment asking the same question could be compared. Another form of assessment is to place a follow up essay question on a midterm or final asking students to explain how this game can be used to understand the sociological imagination or various issues concerning homelessness.

Referencesteaching Games For Understanding Strategies

References and Resources

Link the game (Relatively new site)
Hobson's Choice Simulation
Resource on Homelessness:
National Homeless Data and Resources
This is the website and organization that developed the simulation:
Developers of the Simulation

If you’re interested in learning more about the Teaching Games for Understanding model, check out this video that I created with the help of Kelly Ann Parry and Mike Cicchillitti.

Understanding

Stages of Teaching Games for Understanding:

1. Game Form

Referencesteaching games for understanding kids

Referencesteaching Games For Understanding Students

The game is introduced. The game form has been modified to represent the advanced form of the game and to meet the developmental level of the learner.

2. Game Appreciation

Epson scanner installation software. Students develop an understanding of the primary and secondary rules of the game as well as any modifications/variations applied to the game being played.

Referencesteaching Games For Understanding Kids

3. Tactical Awareness

With the help of questions, comments and game modifications from the teacher, students begin to work through the principles of play and identify key tactics and strategies that can lead to success in the game.

4. Decision Making

The teacher engages students in tactical talk to help them reflect on their decision making in the game.

5. Skill Execution

The teacher modifies the game to put an emphasis on skills that students identified as being essential to success.

6. Performance

The teacher observes the outcome of the students’ learning through the game by paying attention not only to the efficiency of the technique, but also the appropriateness of the response.

To learn more about the TGfU model, be sure to check out “Teaching Games for Understanding” by Linda Griffin and Joy Butler. Also, make sure you connect with the awesome Kelly Ann Parry!

Thanks for reading/watching and happy teaching!

Referencesteaching games for understanding strategies
The Striking & Fielding Games Teacher Pack

November 23, 2020